The present invention relates to an adjustable end gate assembly for pick-up trucks, truck livestock racks, livestock trailers, or the like. Pick-up trucks for general farm use may be provided with rack sides and rack end gates made of wood, metal or other suitable material enclosing the truck box. A tailgate which swings downwardly may also be included.
Present commercially available pick-up trucks of the type with which the present invention is concerned normally have a single end gate, the width of which is less than the width of the storage portion of the truck. There are a number of different ways for mounting the end gate in these trucks so that they can be opened. For example, they can be completely removable, hinged at the side or raised from the top.
One purpose of the narrow width of the end gate opening is to reduce the openings between the sides of the truck and a livestock chute for loading livestock carried in the truck. Most of these trucks have a tailgate which lowers rearwardly about a horizontal axis. When the tailgate is lowered to the horizontal position and the end gate is opened, there exist side openings between the chute and the end of the truck because the tailgate prevents bringing the chute up flush with the opening Livestock may wander through these openings and perhaps be injured. It has, therefore, in the past been necessary to have a person stand on the tailgate to close off these side openings and to steer the livestock into the chute. In some cases the tailgate is removed from the truck or lowered completely so that the chute can be brought up flush with the rear of the truck. However, this requires accurate placement of the chute, and the ability to have the tailgate in the horizontal position adds to the overall utility of the truck.
According to the present invention, first and second end gates are pivotally mounted by hinges to the wooden rack sides of a pick-up truck. Thus, the complete back of the truck may be opened, if desired. Each of the hinges, in turn, is slidably mounted by means of a sleeve to a horizontally elongated guide bar or stringer so that the gates may be moved forwardly or rearwardly. Each of the gates is independently adjustable, and this adjustment together with the independent hinging action enables a person to adjust the end gate assembly to a livestock chute to facilitate the loading and unloading of livestock after the tailgate has been lowered.
The gates may be latched together at the center (i.e., closed) and when they are moved to the forward position, livestock may be located in front of the gates and feed or other items located in the rear of the truck box, separated by the end gates from the livestock. The hinges permit the weight of the end gates to be transferred directly to the floor of the box so that, in the closed position, the end gates brace the sides of the truck.
In addition, the gates may be latched closed and secured at the rear position of the truck, whereby the entire load space or box may be used to transport the livestock.
Further, the gates may be unlatched at the center, moved forward, and rotated outwardly, and secured to the rack sides in the open position.
The present invention thus provides a simple, yet rugged and economical construction which greatly facilitates independent adjustment of the end gates to connect to a livestock chute and to close off the side openings between the chute and rack sides of the truck. Because the gates are independently adjustable, it is not necessary that the livestock chute be centered on the truck in order to achieve a good fit between the end gates and the chute. That is to say, in all cases, the end gates may be used to close off the space between the truck sides and the side of the chute.
A number of sets of gates may be used on the same vehicle to provide adjustable dividers. For example, on a horse trailer, the gates may be used to partition the vehicle to form individual stalls.
Other features and advantages will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment accompanied by the attached drawing wherein identical reference numerals will refer to like parts in the various views.